29 PAX joined YHC at ManU as I had the pleasure of Q’ing on a beautiful morning with a little humidity. As I have seen other workout groups come and go, I believe F3 is here to stay. It has been a blessing to me see all PAX get stronger physically and spiritually through the leadership of other PAX and SkyQ.

I began at 0514 with an opening word on what shepherds do with the sheep & goats in the evenings. Short story is they must be separated from each other. The goats are taken indoors because they don’t have the natural protection that sheep do (wool) to stay warm through the night. In saying that, here we go.

WARM UP

Circle Up at Moe’s AO. All IC
25 SSH.
10 Slow Windmills.
10 In Place Toy Soldiers.
10 Knee Pulls.
10 Peter Parker Peters.
20 Italian Night Clubs.

THE THANG

Mosey into Manchester Park (shhh) to Main Shelter by Pond.

American Hammer for 6.
15 Irkins IC
30 Dips IC
15 Derkins IC

Four Corners of Pond & Pond AO (The Shelter)

Counted off by 2s. Groups 1 & 2 went in opposite directions. All PAX performed exercises below at each Corner and at Pond AO.

Lap 1.
Corners.
10 Diamond Merkins.
20 Wide Arm Merkins.
25 Merkins.
30 Makhtar N’Diayes
Pond AO.
10 Standing Mountain Climbers. Plank for the 6.

Lap 2.
Corners.
20 Jumping Lunges (Single Count).
20 Jump Squats.
20 Regular Lunges (Double Count).
20 Slow & Low Squats.
Pond AO.
5 Burpees. Apollo Onos/Windmills for the 6.

Lap 3.
Corners.
25 Table Top Dips
25 Carolina Dry Docks
25 Table Top Dips (Opposite Leg Raised)
25 Carolina Dry Docks
Pond AO.
10 Standing Mountain Climbers. Step Ups for the 6.

Tried to Double Mule Run back to Moe’s Parking Lot, but it didn’t work. So we Moseyed to the COT.

COOL DOWN

15 LBCs
15 Freddy Mercurys
15 Boxcutters

RECOVER!!

MOLESKIN

As always, it was great to be with all PAX this morning. This group of men is growing and improving daily. Great mumble chatter throughout. Thank you all for what you bring to the group. Keep up the great work.

In Matthew 25:31-46 (read throughout the workout), God’s Word tells us that when the Son of Man (Jesus) returns He will separate the people from ‘all nations’ as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats in the evening. The goats will be placed on His left and the sheep on the right. Then He will say to those on His right, the sheep, ‘Come’, inherit the eternal Kingdom prepared for you.

He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me’, you shall go into the place prepared for the Devil & his angels.

There is a lot to unpack in these verses, but take notice of one thing. There is no middle ground. You will be either on the right or on the left of Jesus at the Day of Final Judgement. The question is, if the Son of Man returned NOW, on which side will you be standing? If you have any questions, concerns, or doubts about your faith in Christ, I urge you to reach out and ask someone who can guide you through the Biblical path to Salvation. God’s grace is a free gift, not earned, given to all who receive and believe. You have to be willing to make the decision to accept or reject the gift. Is God drawing you to Him today?

FNG Intro and Naming: Welcome Cap’n Kangaroo.

Announcements:

* Patriot Shirt Order ends Tomorrow, 5/13. Contact Italian Job for info.
* Children’s Attention Home Event. 5/14 from 10:30-12:00. Lunch after at LRB.
* F3 Dads – 5/14 Night at the Knights with your 2.0s.
* 5/16 – Patton (age 14) will be on Q at Tomahawk at Doby’s Bridge Elementary. Attend if you can.
* Fastest 5K – 5/21 get your teams together now.
* Children’s Attention Home Field Trip & Cookout. 5/22 from 16:00-18:00 at WEP. TAKING DONATIONS OF SINGLE PACKAGES SNACKS AND DRINKS FROM NOW UNTIL 5/21.
* Hog and Coyote – 6/18. More details coming.
* Check your email and newsletter for additional announcements and details.

Prayer Requests & Praises:

* Health Concerns: Popeye’s Mother, Chaser’s Father-In-Law, Package’s Father, Gauge’s Father, Roxanne’s Grandfather, Reborn’s follow up visit today.
* Continue to pray for Olive and his family.
* Turbine – Praise to God for PAX stepping up to help friend from church move.
* Those who were not with us.

Disclaimer
Train horn blew right a 5:15am…at Old Town that means 10 burped OYO. How fitting is that

Warm up
SSH-15
IW-15
Windmill-10

Mozy to Freedom Center
Stairs the reverse bear crawl with Derkins as you crawl

Mozy to the Hotbox

The PAX starts by running to level 1 and doing the “up exercise” listed below, then they run back down to the lowest level completing the “down exercise” per level coming down, then turn around and go to level 2 and perform that exercise. Then go to level 3 and continue using the same pattern until all 4 levels are complete. After level 3, the PAX has to hit all levels “up exercise” to level 4 and “down exercise” to the bottom.

Level 1
Up-Corn Cob Merkins-10
Down-10 Lunges/leg
Down-5 Burpee Pull-ups 

Level 2
Up-20 Diamond Merkins
Down-20 Jump Squats
Down-5 Burpee Pull-ups 

Level 3
Up-30 CDD
Down-30 Squats
Down-5 Burpee Pull-ups 

Level 4

Up-40 Merkins
Down-40 Calf Raises
Down-5 Burpee Pull-ups 

Mozy to fountain park
Derkin side walk at steps of fountain park
30 Dips

Head back to COT

Prayers
Popeye’s mom-diagnosed with cancer
Families-may we be #HIM with our families, neighborhoods, work, and the world. May people say of us, “he has been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13

It is so good to be back at Old Town after a long injury that is still in process of healing, but good enough to go. Sometimes in our spiritual walk, we end up taking time off because of the busyness of this world. Just like coming back to F3 after an injury, our Lord desires for all of us to come back to Him when we get caught in the busyness and things of this world. Many times, that will require us to humble ourselves and admit that we have made the things of this world a priority over our Lord that CHOSE to make us a priority by leaving heaven to live a life on earth He didn’t have to, just to die a death that we couldn’t take ourselves…separation from God due to our sin. By Christ dying that death that we deserved, but couldn’t pay for with any amount of good works, we have a gift extended to us THROUGH the blood of Jesus Christ. BUT, like any gift, it has to be given and it has to be received; otherwise it isn’t a gift. The gift has been given…have you received it yet? The gift that is free to us was COSTLY to God. It cost the life of His only Son, but Praise God, Jesus conquered death and hell and rose from the dead victorious so that we too can be victorious in this life and the one in eternity. If you have been in a tough season and need to come back, Jesus waits with arms open wide to receive you back into His fellowship. Humble yourself, confess your sins and rest in Him!! If you have never come to Jesus, His arms are open wide from the Cross He bore, inviting you to come as you are into the rest of His salvation.

Aye!!

GET READY PAX as The Fort will once again be hosting the annual Memorial Day MURPH – BUT this year we will be adding some friendly PAX competition.

Normal morning workouts will still commence at their respective AO’s but this will be your opportunity to either #DoubleDown or come out PUMPED and READY for the MURPH.

So here are the deets…

What is a MURPH? Really, I mean really? ok… http://themurphchallenge.com/the-workout/
■1 mile Run
■100 Pull-ups
■200 Push-Ups
■300 Air Squats
■1 Mile Run

…with a 20lb vest or body armor

This workout does not have to be done in order except for the mile runs. You can stagger your pull-ups/push-ups/squats. Ex. Complete 10 Sets of 10 Pull-Ups/20 Push-Ups/30 Squats.

REASON: LT. Michael P. Murphy (SEAL) was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL element in support of Operation Red Wings. Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. For his selfless actions, LT. Michael Murphy was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on October 27, 2007. We honor his sacrifice and memory though The Murph Challenge.

Date: 5/30/16

LOCATION AO: NAFO HS (think Coop or Varsity)

START TIME: 0640

COFFEETERIA: 0730 (TBD day of)

So whats this “friendly” competition thing all about?

There will be 3 MURPH categories in which there will be a selected winner (don’t get too excited, no monetary winnings here – just good fun and bragging rights)

3 Winning Categories:
■MURPH with 20lb vest (award given TBD)
■MURPH without vest (award given TBD)
■MURPH ‘Casa de diversion’ (modified pull-up version aka the FUNHOUSE award)

Don’t fall short, if you cannot or do not have a vest at least strive to perform your pull-ups without variation or as we stated above – try not to perform a #Funhouse so start working on those pull-ups today – you have time!

Look forward to seeing all the PAX out there and do not forget to EH and bring friends from other areas.

NEW NEWS 5/26/16 = MDM t-shirts are not available:
http://f3.mudgear.com/collections/f3-shirts/products/f3-memorial-day-murph-2016-pre-order = you waited too long and the order is over…contact @mudgear if you still want one…

@FunHouse has a #FUNRUN (#F3RUNCLUB is chicken$hit) planned the #MDM morning, read all about it here: http://f3nation.com/2016/05/25/pre-blast-for-memorial-day-murph-funhouse-funrun/

Special Instructions:Talk to a Vet this weekend, and get a name of a KIA/Service Member to celebrate in COT, and when you feel like quitting…take a look at the name of a person who would be glad to be here doing the #MDM, but gladly paid the ultimate price to ensure our freedom.

F3 Dads is coming back to Walter Elisha Park this June

WHO: You and your 2.0s – boys and girls. If the kids can run, they can come! This is also a great opportunity to “headlock” men and introduce them to F3.

WHAT: F3 Dads workouts are a kid-friendly way to jack up the heart rate, while spending quality time with your kids. An F3 Dads workout resembles a normal F3 workout (nicknames, COPs, COT, outside, free), but is structured to get the 2.0s involved. There will be merkins, side-straddle-hops, 2.0 carries and burpees, but also games like tag, relay races and kickball! Each F3 Dad workout will end in a COT and prayer. Also it wouldn’t be official without some cool F3 names but in order to save time, think of a name for your 2.0 before the workout. They can participate in the name-o-rama or you can share it for them.

WHEN: F3 Dads will meet each Saturday in June starting on June 4th from 10:00 – 11:00 am.

WHERE: Walter Elisha Park – Fort Mill

WHY: Our kids spell love T-I-M-E!

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Teamwork, leadership, camaraderie, smiles, and a gut-check worthy of Special Operations training.

Ooo and 12+ hours, a backpack, some bricks, some coupons, a little water and 35+ of your F3 brothers.

This, will be one of the hardest things you do. It will push you mentally, it will push you physically, it will make you want to quit, it will test you, it will be one of your greatest accomplishments.

This is the 2017 GORUCK Custom Challenge. A challenge is not about you, it’s about the pax by your side, the men that become your team.

Many of you have heard of a GORUCK Challenge, if not here is an explanation from GORUCK:
http://news.goruck.com/events/the-goruck-challenge-explained/

Just YouTube GORUCK and there’s plenty of good videos, here’s one from a 2013 F3 custom challenge:

You get the idea, you get a backpack, does not have to be a GORUCK ruck but they are nice, and fill it with bricks, or a ruck plate, 6 bricks (30lbs) if over 150lbs or 4 bricks (20lbs) if under 150lb, there will be a welcome party, rucking, missions, carrying heavy awkward objects and yes you WILL get wet.

Talk to any pax who has done a challenge before (Cobra Kia, Crab Cakes, Cornhole, Gears, Cable Guy) and they will tell you these challenges are among the hardest things you can do, BUT they’d do it again and again. GORUCK challenge is about the guy next to you, helping him, encouraging him, supporting him, and being accountable.

Ok, now that your interest is peaked, here’s the deal:
-Custom challenge, only open to F3 The Fort pax and surrounding areas
-April 28th or May 5th 2017
-Location – Fort Mill or surrounding area

How do I HC or sign up?
-HC by sounding off in the comments below and sending your first payment to WorldWide Leader via paypal (send to friend, its free, justin.laroche@yahoo.com)
-this $50 secures your spot
-the final price depends on the number of pax that sign up, GORUCK has a tiered system based on the number of participants
-0-35 participants costs $5,000 or $142.86/person
-if we have less than 35 pax, the price would be slightly higher per person
-if we have more than 35 pax, there’s an additional $3,000 and the price per person would be adjusted for all

We’ll refine based on the number of pax that HC.

To lock in the date, we will need to send $2,500 upfront to GORUCK, the remaining costs are due 30 days prior to the event. We’ll look to lock in the date as soon as we have our 35 pax.

We’ll do a second PayPal payment to lock in the date and a third to collect the remainder prior to the event.

When you soundoff below, please include your preference for either one of the dates above for the challenge.

There will be rucking specific workouts to help you train including a series of rucking challenges and programs to ensure you are prepared for the challenge.

Many F3 regions have tackled a GORUCK challenge and then a heavy, its time for the Fort to step up and challenge each other. Who are you EH’n for this event.

This will be a first come, first serve structure, payment secures your spot. If something changes between now and 2017, we’ll work with you and refund your money.

Let the rucking begin.

WWL

Pax,
We are 130 days out from BRR 2016!

What does that mean? You should be building your base miles and starting to think about your training plan.

Your base should include a few consistent runs a week, 4-6 miles in distance, stretching and core work. All of which will pay dividends in your training.

Your BBR specific training should start in about 1 month, in June, which gives you 14 weeks or so of solid training and some taper at the end.

What should your plan consist of?
– 3-4 runs per week
– at least one speed workout (tempo, fartlek, hill repeats)
– one LSD (long slow distance) customize this so that you build up week to week and you exceed your longest BRR leg, no need to be running more than a half marathon though
– hills, hills, and hills, you are running in the mountains, need i say more
– a few, not too many, double/triple downs
– Crowders Mountain runs
– Sat June 25
– Sat July 23
– Sat Aug 20

Fort running specific workouts:
– Monday, Flight Plan
– Tuesday, Swift (SOB Land) great speed workout
– Wednesday, Clydesdales
– Wednesday evening, Run-n-Gun
– Thursday, Laces Out (will begin speed work)
– Thursday, Tempo (Tega Cay)

Rock Hill:
– Sunday, Hills of Gloom

Feel free to tweet out other running options, lots of guys looking for miles these next 4 months!

Please consider adding stretching into your daily routine, the occasional yoga doesn’t hurt either.

Recommend investing in a foam roller or stick roller, use liberally!

Will consider other running/stretching clinics.

More to come.

See you in the gloom.

I had the privilege to share the gloom this morning with 15 other PAX from the region. Not just any PAX, but a great group of #HIM that were willing to be present and do some hard work. Thanks Crab Cakes for letting me lead with you this morning. I think we all had a good time sharing strong fellowship with some top notch men of the Fort Region.

The Thang

Dynamic Warmup courtesy of Crab Cakes

• High Knees
• Butt Kickers
• Toy Soldiers
• Bird Dips (look it up)
• Worldwide Leaders (power skips)
• Karaokes
• 50%/100% sprint

Warmup over

• Rugby Sprints x 5 (with Merkins/LBCs/Freddie Mercs/Merkins/Mountain Climbers
• Partner Push/Sprint/Push
• Flip-flop then Rinse and Repeat

Don’t let the moniker of “Warm-Up” fool you. This was crazy tough. Those Partner Pushes sounded like fun until 30 yards in, then it got tough, really tough.

Thanks to Crab Cakes for sharing his word of the year: “present.” He encouraged the PAX to be present in all you do: at work, at home, and at the workouts. More than half the battle is just showing up. Excellent reminder that we all needed.

23 minutes in – handoff to YHC.

• Black Jack (Merkins and LBCs)

Limp Bizkit had something on his heart that he wanted to share. This man stepped out of his comfort zone and challenged us to the 22 Push-up Challenge to honor our men and women of the armed services battling with mental health issues. After completing 210 Merkins, we counted off, did an early Name-a-Rama and did 22 more together. TClaps to LB for stepping up and speaking from the heart. His willingness to speak set the tone for the rest of the workout.

• 22 Moroccan Night Clubs

YHC share his word of the year: “do.” I encouraged our men to realize that you can do things, amazing things, things you didn’t know were possible, if you just do it. These men just completed, not participated, but completed the Black Jack Challenge. That isn’t easy. If they can do that, then what is holding you back from everything else? My mom always told me “can’t never could do anything.” Don’t have “can’t” in your vocabulary. Those that say you can’t never could. Prove them wrong. Just do it. Whatever “it” is, do it. You can accomplish amazing things if you just try.

• Long Mosey back to Sullivan for the following:
• 22 Count People’s Chair In Cadence (hands up, hands on knees, hands on feet)
• 22 Calf Raises OYO
• 22 Dips OYO
• 22 Count People’s Chair In Cadence (hands up, hands on knees, hands on feet)
• 22 Calf Raises OYO
• 22 Dips OYO

Long Mosey back to COT with Full House taking the lead.

Completed with The Pledge of Allegiance before BOM.

NMM

I can’t tell you how proud I am of the PAX this morning. There was no quit in this crew. Everything we threw at them, they nailed it.

• Crab Cakes – Thanks for crossing the river and sharing your rugby warm-ups with us. Gives us a new appreciation for how fit those fellas are.
• Van Wilder – I’m proud of your progress. You don’t see it, but we do. The transformation has been incredible.
• Bull – Dude, pants and long sleeves again? I’m telling you, keep that up and you’ll sweat yourself down to nothing. Great work again today, brother.
• Bogey – I can see the pride in your eyes for this nation’s colors. Your willingness to step up like a true Marine doesn’t go unrecognized. Thanks for leading by example.
• Limp Bizkit – So proud of you. LB asked if he could speak today. I said absolutely. Between sets of Merkins, he asked if I would step in if he started to stumble. I knew he had it. And had it he did; spoke like consummate professional, but with conviction in his voice. One of the best impromptu speeches I have heard at a workout. Excellent word today, and thanks for leading us in the 22 Kill Challenge.
• Utah –Best form of the day. Great work.
• Gauge – He’s quiet, but the workouts are always better when he’s around.
• Reborn – Thanks for being the unsung hero at every workout. Reborn plays the sweeper roll so well. He is always willing to come back for the 6. And he does it with a smile on his face. Thanks for doing the work no one sees.
• Pistol – I am more and more impressed with you every workout. You never complain, always finish, and are genuinely concerned about the prayers of our PAX. I’m so glad you are in the group. You are an awesome addition to our group.
• Turbine – Hiccup, thanks for pushing me today (literally and figuratively). Hope those hiccups go away soon. Maybe you’re growing.
• Hot Sauce – Sometimes all it takes is a reminder that you’re almost there. You never quit and always find that extra gear when you think you are too smoked to finish. Great work today!
• Full House – Most people are looking for excuses to not get up and join us on a Saturday morning. But when you arrived and saw no one else in the lot, you didn’t go home or go to get a biscuit, you came searching for us. Then when you found us, you jumped right in to a tough workout. And because you are a doer, you finished the whole thing. Great work, brother!
• Walker – What can I say? When I prepare a Patriot workout, I have to make it tough so you get a bit of a challenge. I always know you’ll finish the exercises first, but I also know that you’re always willing to do extra credit. Thanks for showing us that hard work pays off.
• JAG – Glad to have you at your first Patriot workout. Walker now has a challenge for fittest #Respect in the city.
• Choir Boy – Glad to have you back out with us. You’ve been missed.

Again, thank you for letting me Q this morning. Today was special. Something was in the air. The workout was tough, the words shared were strong, the prayers were powerful, and the PAX was energized. The effort shown made me so proud to be in the PAX. Keep up the good work. You can do anything if you just try. Let’s make the world a better place; one workout at a time.

Aye!

Announcements 

There’s a lot going on over the next few months. Read the newsletter.

• Special Olympics Torch Run 5/6 @0800 Cherry Park to City Hall. 3ish mile slow mosey. Wear your F3 gear.
• Suck it up Buttercup – 5/7 @0700 at Old Town. The Patriot will be closed. Plan accordingly.
• Fastest 5K – 5/21 @1600 – get your teams together. You won’t want to miss this. Bring the family for a tailgate afterwards.
• Patriot Shirt order now open through 5/14. New colors available. http://f3.mudgear.com/products/f3-the-patriot-shirts-pre-order 

Prayers

• Reborn’s tests and the Dr.’s ability to properly prescribe medications to ease his epilepsy
• Limp Bizkit’s work and life stress
• Limp Bizkit’s niece
• Van Wilder travelling
• Continue to lift up our brothers recovering from injury (Riddler, Tinker Toy)
• Pray for Catfish’s M
• All those spoken and unspoken
• JAG’s son heading off to Boot Camp

As many of you are already aware, our brother Padre left the Fort Mill Region and joined the Pax in Easley. We hear he and his burpees have been a great addition to the Upstate. Since we haven’t met many of our Pax in the GSA area, we have decided to converge 7/23/16 in Sparkle City. NEW DATE JUST ANNOUNCED. Details below:

When:  July 23, 2016 @ 0700-0800 Boot Camp, followed by Coffeeteria (more details to follow)

Where: “Star Command” 9768 Warren H Abernathy Highway Spartanburg, SC 29301

Who: All hungry for pain!

Qs: Padre, Iceman, CSPAN

This promises to be a fun event with PLENTY of mumble chatter, maybe even some friendly region-to-region competition. This AO is a middle point between the Greenville-Spartanburg and Fort Mill-Rock Hill locales. Work with your regions to clowncar. You will not want to miss this event.

UPDATE FOR ROCK HILL PAX – CLOWNCAR LOCATION

Meet at the Target in Rock Hill at 0510. Wheels up at 0515. Plan to be back by 10:45.

YHC did not sleep well and the 9 PAX attending were in for an ARMory painfest.

Leg stretch left
Leg stretch right
Plank back stretch
Carolina dry docks
Tunnel touches to plank and back
SS Hops

Take a lap (not a lot of mumble chatter)
————-
Bells to the small wall
Plank on wall for lawnmowers — left then right 
Triceps while seated
Over head press — left then right
Kettlebell swings
Squats

PARTNER UPS
ONE PARTNER RUNS while the other does…
LBC’s 
STEP UPS — LEFT AND RIGHT LEGS

Repeat WITH BELL …

—————–

Did a few:
Figure 8’s with lunges
Lunge press
Kettlebell presses
Slingshots (hold bell out front and pass it around)

———–
Sprints
Find straight line
Partner runs with bell to first island, leave bell, partner picks it up when he gets to the island, keep going …

Repeat, repeat, repeat, and…. repeat (thanks Backdraft)

Barry Manilow is Q-ing on his One year Anniversary Friday at SlowBurn.

Howitzer’s wife Michelle is having a consult for a Stem Cell Trial (would appreciate prayers)

Prayers for our kids in school, stress, peer pressure.

Prayers for What Did’s friend, the principal of Howard High School in Delaware, where the student was killed in a bathroom fight. Pray for those kids to find hope…

Thankful for Fort Mill South Carolina!

ROB